In yesterday’s post we talked about how we can use our communities to have long lasting, permanent change by living a purpose driven life. Those changes can be small or large, and they all add up. We can make a difference. Today I want to take a look at the impact living a purpose driven life can have on your loved ones.

You Set A Good Example

The most powerful thing about living your life with purpose is that you are setting a good example for those around you. Trust me, your kids are watching. Your spouse or significant other is noticing what you’re doing. So are your family and friends. Living a purpose driven life can be quite contagious. Start and see how much of an effect you can have on those around you.

In other words, not only will they benefit from what you do directly (by being more attentive and patient for example, or making an effort to spend more quality time with people important to you), they also benefit by being encouraged to live a more purposeful life themselves.

You’re More Confident In Yourself

As you start to live with purpose and see the impact even small acts can have you’re more confident in yourself. As you gain self-confident, you start to feel more comfortable in your skin. You’re making a difference and live with purpose. This in turn makes you a more confident parent, spouse, and friend. Your loved ones will benefit because you are no longer busy second guessing yourself. You take massive action that benefits everyone.

You’re Happier And More Fulfilled

One of the big reasons self-confidence is so important is that it is directly linked with how happy you feel. Add to that the fact that living a life with purpose is very fulfilling and it’s no wonder that you are happier and more content once you start living with purpose and intention.

All this in turn will make you a kinder and better person overall. Living a purpose driven life makes you a better parent, a better spouse, a better coworker and a better friend. It has a positive impact on all the people who are close to you and who have an important part in your life. Keep that in mind as you continue on this journey of living with purpose. Use it as motivation and encouragement on those days when things get hard and you’re ready to give up. Don’t let them or yourself down.

In yesterday’s blog post we talked about what it means to live with purpose and I briefly touched on why it is important to do so. Today, I want to dive a little deeper and talk more about it. Making the decision to live your life with purpose, and then finding said purpose can have a profound effect on your life.

It Gives Your Life Meaning

When you decide on your life’s purpose, it gives what you do a lot of meaning. Every step along the way, and all the work you do towards reaching your goals, serves to bring you one step closer. It becomes much easier to get things done, when they are done with purpose and with a firm goal in mind.

It Creates A Value System

Living with purpose also helps you define and set a system of core values that will guide you throughout the coming years. You don’t have to waste time and energy each day trying to figure out if what you’re doing is right or worth doing. As long as it aligns with your purpose, you know you’re on the right track. That gives you a lot of confidence in what you are doing.

It Increases Your Feeling Of Self Worth

When you are living with purpose and working towards a worthwhile goal, you take a lot of pride in what you do. With each passing day, and each small step that you reach towards that goal, your sense of self-worth will also increase. Use that feeling to propel you through the next day and the next challenges ahead.

It Leads To Fulfillment and Happiness

Living a life with purpose, that’s meaningful and gives you a sense of self-worth and confidence leads to happiness. Give it a try during this 30 Day Challenge and create a purpose for yourself. At the end of the month you’ll notice that you are not only more confident, but also more fulfilled. The true secret to a happy life is being completely fulfilled by the life you’re living.

We are social creatures who need to make a difference and have a purpose, a place in society. We may think that material things bring us happiness, but what truly matters is how meaningful, helpful, and purposeful what we do is. Don’t be surprised to notice a measurable increase in your overall happiness at the end of this month-long challenge or journey towards a purpose driven life.

It’s Good For Your Mental And Physical Health

Last but not least, living with purpose is good for your health. Being needed, being helpful, and adding value to the lives of others has a measurable effect on both your physical and mental health. Living a purposeful life decreases your risk of heart disease and stroke, while it is also protecting you against depression. In fact, one of the best ways to fight depression is to find meaning and purpose in what you do each and every day.

I’ve been thinking about the idea of living with purpose for quite some time. It’s an interesting concept and something that can have a positive impact on your entire life. When we live with purpose, we get more done, we create meaning in our life, and most importantly, we feel happier and more fulfilled. That’s why it’s an important topic to discuss. It’s also what inspired me to create a 30 day series of blog posts around it.

Over the course of the month, we’ll take a look at living with purpose and how we can start to live more intentionally. We’ll look at how this will affect all aspects of our lives and of course, I will have plenty of hands-on tips and suggestions for you.

Let’s start today by talking a little bit about what it means to live with purpose. In essence it means that you know what you’re doing. You have goals and are passionate about what you do. Instead of simply letting the days pass you by, you work with purpose to make the most from each day.

Living with a purpose has a couple of big advantages over simply existing. When you know exactly what you want to do with your life, you have a clear plan or path. You don’t have to get up each morning and then try to figure out what you will do. You simply jump in and keep working towards the goals you set based on your purpose.

You have a clear set of core values that you follow, based on your purpose. This will come in handy anytime you have a decision to make. Think of these values as your compass that keeps you on track.

Most importantly though, living with purpose gives you a great sense of self-worth. You know what you’re doing and you’re actively working towards the goals you’ve set yourself. Not only does this increase your feeling of self-worth and self-confidence, living a purpose driven and fulfilled life will also greatly increase your overall happiness.

In the end, that’s what it’s really about, isn’t it? We all want to live a happy and fulfilled life with meaning. That’s why it’s important to start thinking about living with purpose.

Last but not least, I’d like to invite you to join me on this 30 day journey towards living life with a purpose. If you haven’t already done so, take a moment to sign up in the form to the right (and receive a free gift as well!). I will send you a short email each day as soon as the Living with Purpose blog post goes up. The email course is completely free and you can unsubscribe at any time.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this 30 part series of building courage and increasing self-confidence as much as I have. More importantly I hope you’ve learned a thing or two and started to put this knowledge into action. The confidence hacks are always a great place to start, but all the knowledge I shared over the past month will serve you well over time.

Let’s take a quick walk down memory lane and browse through all the different topics we covered over the past 29 days. Here’s a quick rundown:

What has had the biggest impact on you? What tips and ideas have you found the most helpful? Those are the posts that you want to come back to again and again.

Take a few minutes today to reflect on not only how far you’ve come, but more importantly how this simple 30 day challenge has influenced you and changed you for the better. What positive experiences have you had as a result of working on your confidence and courage throughout this month?

No matter how confident and courageous we become, we all have days when we feel less than our best. It’s normal to go through times when you struggle with self-esteem and confidence. Today’s confidence hack is all about creating a little tool that will help you get through those days and find your self-confidence again. The idea is simple. Make a list of your strengths, skills, and achievements that you can look back on whenever you need little confidence boost.

Pick A Pretty Notebook

While you could jot your list down on a scrap piece of paper or make it a digital note, it will work much better if you start with something that’s visually appealing. It’s even more important to have this list in a format that you can hold and feel. The tactile sensation of writing your list down in the notebook, adding to it over time, and most importantly, having the book to hold whenever you refer back to it makes it seem a lot more real, memorable, and believable. Trust me on this. Go find a pretty little notebook and use it as your very own confidence journal.

Make A List and Add To It

Start by writing down anything and everything you can think of that you’re proud of or that you’ve accomplished. Make a list of your strengths and any skills you’ve acquired over time. Don’t forget to write down your various achievements as well.

This may seem a little strange at first, but stick with it and you’ll get more comfortable with the process. Remember that you don’t need to show anyone your confidence journal. Brag away so you are able to remind yourself of everything you’ve accomplished when you’re having a bad day.

Include Pictures, Sketches, And Mementos

Visual aids can be very helpful in your journal. Feel free to turn it into a bit of a scrapbook. If you have pictures of big things you’ve accomplished (think graduation or that time you hiked up a mountain for example), paste them in there, or at the very least tuck them into the appropriate pages. Add other mementos like ticket stubs, postcards, and anything else you have laying around that reminds you of your accomplishments. Make it personal and make it real.

Add some color, some doodles, or some sketches. Make the journal your own and something you’ll look forward to browsing through going forward. There’s no right or wrong way to do this. The only rule is to create the book and it’s something that can and should evolve over time.

Keep Adding To The List And Use It Often

Last but not least, make sure you use the confidence journal. Keep adding to it as you accomplish new things and are proud of yourself. During times when you’re lacking confidence, sit down and read through the journal. Once you see how far you’ve come and how much you’ve accomplished already, you won’t help but start to feel more confident.